Celtic's chief executive, Peter Lawwell, has emerged as the football man in the running for the £1m-a-year vacancy at Arsenal. The 49-year-old will find out in the next fortnight if he has been selected from the two-man shortlist ahead of Paul Donovan, Vodafone's chief executive for central Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Lawwell is considered a tough transfer negotiator at Celtic and has excellent contacts in European football - not least at Uefa, where his fellow Scot, David Taylor, is general secretary. Having substantially lifted Celtic's turnover during his spell at Parkhead, his CV appears well suited to Arsenal. His background is as an accountant and finance director, having had a spell in the property-development business on the Clydeport authority, fitting in with many of the core skills Arsenal require of their new broom.

The club is set to announce a strong set of half-year accounts this week, with further discussion of whom to appoint at a board meeting on Thursday.

But balanced against Lawwell's football experience is the FTSE100 profile of the Arsenal season-ticket holder Donovan, whose company is a top-line sponsor of Uefa's Champions League. His experience of and contacts in central European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets might also suit him to dialogue with potential purchasers.

Arsenal's board, who engaged the headhunters Spencer Stuart to deliver a £1m-a-year chief executive, insists it has no desire to discuss a takeover.

Barwick's sporting chance

A possible absentee at the top table at today's FA council meeting is occupying the thoughts of its membership. Brian Barwick - set to leave Soho Square at the end of the year - has been a popular and influential figure among councillors, having persuaded FA grassroots to accept the Burns reforms which led to the appointment of Lord Triesman - who then decided to put Barwick, pictured below, on his bike. If he turns up, this may be the councillors' last chance to wish him well. Meanwhile Roger Mosey's exit as head of BBC Sport opens a potential vacancy for Barwick. The success of his anticipated candidacy depends on how much rancour persists over his sale of England and FA Cup rights to ITV and Setanta.

Wembley will wait

Wembley National Stadium Limited's board has decided to shelve the appointment of a chief executive. After a final interview with the only remaining candidate, Andrew Morris, on Friday, directors confirmed at a board meeting that WNSL would maintain the status quo that has seen Roger Maslin stabilise the business as interim managing director. The Football Association is seeking its own chief executive and head of the 2018 bid company, so WNSL will not pursue its own £500,000 recruitment before knowing who the main man will be.

Owner called to account

Mike Ashley says he has "poured" in £110m to reduce Newcastle United's debts but how he has done so is unclear. The companies set up by the previous regime led by Freddy Shepherd and Russell Cushing - whose boards the managing director, Derek Llambias, and operations director, David Williamson, have joined - have yet to file their accounts. For both companies the books are overdue, so it is unknown whether Ashley's contribution was a selfless donation or if he has first call on the money in the form of loans.

Football's own-goal

While Ashley puts his club on the market it emerged yesterday that 12% of the population cannot afford to watch live football even on TV. The research, commissioned by Virgin Media in consultation with Supporters Direct, might act as a warning to the new breed of owners that the golden goose will not keep laying forever.

LTA serves up new deal

At a time when questions hang over the fiscal health of Manchester United's £14.1m-a-year shirt sponsor, AIG, there are signs that sport will not be abandoned by the financial services sector. The Lawn Tennis Association is set to announce the Scottish investments and insurance firm Aegon today as lead sponsor of its £25m, five-year commercial-partners plan.